Sigma-Bonded Organochromium Compounds. Hydrogen Transfer Reactions

The preparation and properties of two classes of organochromium compounds and their interconversion have been studied actively in recent years. These are the σ-bonded organochromium compounds in which alkyl, aryl, or aralkyl groups are covalently bonded to chromium (II or III) and the π-arenechromium complexes in which “aromatic” nuclei are covalently bonded to chromium (0 or I). From certain reactions of the σ-bonded organochromium compounds, evidence has accumulated which shows that the chromium atom acts not only as a coordination center, but also as a hub for hydrogen transfer and H/D exchange^[1,2]. σ-Organochromium compounds may act as sources of radicals and carbanions. The present paper deals with the preparation and properties of σ-bonded organochromium compounds; particular attention is given to hydrogen transfer reactions and rearrangements to bis(π-arene)chromium complexes.     

Polyimides with alicyclic diamines. II. Hydrogen abstraction and photocrosslinking reactions of benzophenone-type polyimides

Photosensitive polyimides with alicyclic diamines and benzophenone moiety were prepared by reactions of 3,3′,4,4′-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride (BTDA) with diamines in aprotic solvents, followed by thermal or chemical imidizations. Among them the polyimide from BTDA and bis(4-amino-3-methylcyclohexyl) methane (DMDHM) can be dissolved in several organic solvents such as dichloromethane, tetrachloroethane, and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP). In order to compare properties of the polyimides with alicyclic diamines with those of corresponding aromatic polyimides, the UV absorption spectra and fluorescence spectra of these polyimides and their model compounds were investigated. No occurrence of charge transfer at photoexcited states was ascertained for the polyimides with alicyclic diamines. The hydrogen abstraction and crosslinking during photoirradiation have been studied to learn the influence of the elimination of charge transfer process in these photosensitive polyimides. The quantum yield of hydrogen abstraction for the model compound of alicyclic polyimides is 0.56 in THF measured with HPLC. The quantum yield for the photocrosslinking reaction of the solvent-soluble polyimide with alicyclic diamine, PI(BTDA/DMDHM), was determined to be 0.004 in air from gel permeation chromatography (GPC) measurement, which is four times higher than that for photosensitive polyimides with aromatic diamines. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Ultrafast proton-coupled electron-transfer dynamics in pyrene-modified pyrimidine nucleosides: model studies towards an understanding of reductive electron transport in DNA.

5-(Pyren-1-yl)-2'-deoxyuridine (PydU) and 5-(Pyren-1-yl)-2'-deoxycytidine (PydC) were used as model nucleosides for DNA-mediated reductive electron transport (ET) in steady-state fluorescence and femtosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy studies. Excitation of the pyrene moiety in PydU and PydC leads to an intramolecular electron transfer that yields the pyrenyl radical cation and the corresponding pyrimidine radical anion (dU.- and dC.-. By comparing the excited state dynamics of PydC and PydU, we derived information about the energy difference between the two pyrimidine radical anion states. To determine the influence of protonation on the rates of photoinduced intramolecular ET, the spectroscopic investigations were performed in acetonitrile, MeCN, and in water at different pH values. The results show a significant difference in the basicity of the generated pyrimidine radical anions and imply an involvement of proton transfer during electron hopping in DNA. Our studies revealed that the radical anion dC.- is being protonated even in basic aqueous solution on a picosecond time scale (or faster). These results suggest that protonation of dC.- may also occur in DNA. In contrast, efficient ET in PydU could only be observed at low pH values (< 5). In conclusion, we propose--based on the free energy differences and the different basicities--that only dT.- but not dC.- can participate as an intermediate charge carrier for excess electron migration in DNA.     

Using single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy to study electron transfer.

Techniques in single-molecule fluorescence spectroscopy now allow sophisticated studies of photophysical processes in single molecules. As interest grows in the possibilities of molecular electronics, researchers have begun to turn these techniques to the study of electron transfer. Electron-transfer reactions have now been detected and measured at the single-molecule level in a variety of systems and on a variety of timescales by adapting techniques from previous single-molecule fluorescence studies.     

Long-lived charge-transfer states in compact donor-acceptor dyads.

Photoinduced electron transfer is a widely applied method to convert photon energy into a useful (electro)chemical potential, both in nature and in artificial devices. There is a continuing effort to develop molecular systems in which the charge-transfer state, populated by photoinduced electron transfer, survives sufficiently long to tap the energy stored in it. In general this has been found to require the construction of rather complex molecular systems, but more recently a few approaches have been reported that allow the use of much more simple and relatively small electron donor-acceptor dyads for this purpose. The most successful examples of such systems seem to be those that apply "electron spin control" to slow down the spontaneous decay of the charge-transfer state, and these are reviewed in this minireview, with a discussion of the underlying principles and a critical evaluation of some of the claims made with regard to using a pronounced "inverted-region effect" as an alternative method to prolong the lifetime of charge-transfer states.     

Functional Monomers and Polymers. 145. Synthetic Application Based on the Tautomerism of Polymer-Bound Purine and Pyrimidine Bases

Polymer-bound alkylthiopurine and -pyrimidine bases were prepared and used as the polymeric reagents for the reactions of nitrile, olefin, and enone formation. The corresponding low molecular weight compounds were also prepared for comparison. Differences in the reactivity of these reagents were related to the change in tautomerism of the purine and pyrimidine moieties.